Is Sacramento about to ‘blow up’ as a food spot? One publication says so – here’s why

Take a look at some of Ella Dining Room and Bar’s elegant offerings

As the Sacramento's "big-city" restaurant turns 10 this month, here's a glimpse at some of the best food and drink Ella has to offer. Photos by Randall Benton
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As the Sacramento's "big-city" restaurant turns 10 this month, here's a glimpse at some of the best food and drink Ella has to offer. Photos by Randall Benton
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Sacramento’s skilled chefs, craft culture and farm-to-fork restaurants are destined to leave their mark on America’s food scene – at least according to one publication.

An article posted Friday to Thrillist, a travel and entertainment website, called “overlooked” Sacramento a “must-visit” city for foodies.

What sets us above some of the rest?

Of Sacramento, Thrillist contributor Matt Meltzer writes: “The hub of America’s most abundant agricultural region has access to more ingredients than any other city, and for a number of reasons, is finally attracting talent and investment to match its gardens.”

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The article claims that cheap rent – relative to San Francisco, at least – and quality ingredients continue to attract some of the Bay Area’s top chefs.

Those top-shelf ingredients include some of the nation’s best processed tomatoes, not to mention easy access to Napa wines.

Meltzer also calls Sacramento “America’s stealthy farm-to-fork capital,” though that moniker has been less “stealthy” since it replaced “City of Trees” on the Freeport water tower last spring.

Thrillist’s article references Ella, Paragary’s, Localis, Canon and a handful of others as some of the capital city’s noteworthy restaurants.

“It feels like Portland or Seattle did 10 years ago,” chef Sam Marvin, who last January announced plans to bring his Echo & Rig Steakhouse to Sacramento’s Downtown Commons, told Thrillist. “There’s a craft culture here, and you see chefs starting to branch out and do their own thing.”

“Farmers’ markets are open all week during peak season, and farm-to-table restaurants abound,” Sunset noted.

But we may still be a work in progress. Another Thrillist article from September of “9 surprisingly great U.S. food cities” makes no mention of Sacramento, with San Diego standing as California’s only representative.